A research scientist from the University of Aberdeen has been awarded £146,147 as part of an international £4.4 million package allocated by leading cancer research charity, the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR).
AICR is a principal funder of high quality scientific research into the causes of cancer. It is unique in that it is the only UK body which funds research in any area of cancer in any country in the world and is one of the few remaining funding bodies offering three-year grants for which researchers may apply. This year, the £4.4 million cancer research funding package is split among 41 eminent cancer scientists from around the world, including Aberdeen.
Dr Stefan Hoppler, Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen's Institute of Medical Sciences has won funding for a three-year study into a particular cellular function known as the Wnt pathway. It is known that damage to components in the Wnt pathway are found in many cancers, therefore his studies will help to identify how it is involved in the growth and progression of cancer cells.
Dr Hoppler, said: "It is a great personal honour and I am very pleased that the importance of our ongoing research on the Wnt pathway is being recognised in this way by the Association for International Cancer Research.
"Although there have been considerable advances in identifying that a damaged Wnt pathway contributes to the formation of cancer, particularly of colorectal cancer (bowel cancer), much still remains to be learned."
Dr Hoppler has been awarded funding by the AICR scientific advisory committee, a team of 20 distinguished international scientists who decide which cancer research projects will be allocated funding based upon the quality of their research proposal. The research being undertaken by Dr Hoppler is of an exceptional standard and succeeded in the face of fierce competition from the international scientific community.
Dr Hoppler added: "I think the AICR provides a very important role in supporting research into the fundamental causes of cancer, which has great potential to lead to a breakthrough in the understanding and the treatment of cancer in the future. Since the AICR is not associated with particular research institutes, they can pick and chose the most promising projects and support research of the highest quality, here in the UK or anywhere in the world."
Derek Napier, AICR's Chief Executive, said: "AICR plays an important role in supporting some of the best cancer research in the world. The charity is not only a significant funder of today's scientific research but also helps to secure the research base of the future. Funding exceptional scientists, like Dr Hoppler, is critical to our fight against cancer and we are proud of the part we play in supporting this high quality research."